KAHLA STATEMA | The Statesman The University of Minnesota Duluth lost a member of its community over Halloween weekend. Kyle Noble, 22, was found dead in Chester Creek on Saturday afternoon.
“He was the avid outdoorsman, so for him to have an accident like that, it’s very hard to imagine,” said Jose Carrillo, a professor and mentor of Noble’s.
Noble was a senior and studying mechanical engineering at UMD. He was a founding member of the R & Diesel Engineering club.
R & Diesel is a play on words for research and development. In the club, students conduct research on diesel engines and find ways of developing their own improvements.
“He liked working with the group and was a gregarious man,” Carrillo said. “It was very welcoming to have him.”
Noble was a key member of the club.
“Through Kyle’s efforts is how we got a motor that we were able to rebuild,” Carrillo said.
“Somebody that he knew at Polaris donated a diesel engine to the club for us,” said Michael Kendzierski, a senior at UMD and the president of the club.
The club received the motor in nonfunctioning condition, and the members, including Kyle, were able to pick it completely apart and put it back together successfully.
“He was a hands-on kind of guy,” Carrillo said.
Noble spent last spring semester and this summer working on a fishing boat in Alaska.
UMD’s Vice Chancellor of Student Life and Dean of Students, Dr. Lisa Erwin released the following statement regarding Noble’s death:
“The campus is stunned and in mourning with the news that we lost a member of our university community. We send our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Kyle Noble.”
Noble’s presence will be missed in the mechanical engineering department.
“He was a good man, gentle soul, and he really enjoyed being with people,” Carrillo said.
Noble’s death was the result of an accidental fall of approximately 75 feet. His body was discovered near Chester Creek Drive and 8th Street beneath the bridge. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said that alcohol appears to be a factor in the incident, although final autopsy results are still pending.